Key-pad for wind musical instruments



F. A.-BUESCHER.

KEY PAD FOR WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1921.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

zz ammqzzawdtr FERDINAND A. BUESCHER, OF ELKHART, INDIANA.

KEY-PAD FOR WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Application filed February 28, 1921. Serial No. 448,534.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDIN'AND A. Bun- SOIIER, a citizen-of the UnitedStates, residing at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and State ofIndiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Key-Pads for lVindMusical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to key pads for wind musical instruments of thesaxophone type and the means for securing said pads to the ke s of theinstrument.

he main object of the invention is to provide a simple means forfastening a pad on a key of the instrument so that the same may bereadily removed and replaced by the musician. It has been found thatmost of the Saxophones sent back to the factory for repairs need onlyrepadding. By my invention the player may easily replace the pads of hisown instrument.

My invention also provides a pad which is maintained in place out to theedge of the key by a rear disk or plate of substantially the samedimension as the key whereby the pad is prevented, to a large degree,from warping and shrinkin out of shape. The pads are therefore ab e tocover the valve openings properly.

Other objects of the invention whereby a neat and simple fasteningdevice for the key pads is provided will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

The invention is described in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which p Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of myinvention showing the various parts in disassembled relation.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing a key andkey pad in assembled relation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified form of fastening device and pad.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 3 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 10 represents the usualcup-shaped key having secured thereto the stud part 11 of a snapfastener. This stud part is preferably secured to the inside of the backplate of the key at substantially the central portion thereof bysoldering or the like. The pad is composed of a body of compressiblematerial such as wool felt 12, the front surface of which is coveredwith yieldable material as kid skin 13. A metal or fiber back is pro.-vided in the rear of the wool felt and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 theback is in the form of a disk 14 of substantially the same diameter asthe'body 12, in order to keep the outer edge of the body in place. The

' kid skin cover 13 extends over the edge of the disk 14 and its edge isgathered and drawn by the threads 15 forming loops, and the drawingstring 16 which is fastened by means of a knot at 17. The kid skin, thewool felt, and the back plate 14 are formed with central aperturesadapted to aline axially with the stud part 11 of the snap fastener. Abutton having a recessed stem 18 is provided with a flanged head 19. Thesocket member 20 of the snap fastener is placed in the recessed stem 18and retained therein by spinning over or rounding the inner edge of thestem as shown at 21. The snap fastener employed may be of anycomrnercial variety, the form illustrated hav- 1ng the spring element 22adapted to engage over the rounded head 23 of the stud part 11 of thefastener for the purpose of detachably securing the pad to the key ofthe instrument.

To attach a pad of this form, the pad, consisting of the body of woolfelt with its cover of kid skin and its backing plate, is inserted inthe cup of the key so that the outer edge thereof fits snugly in theannular flange 24 of the key and the central aperture 25 of theassembled key pad is in axial alinement with the stud part 11 of thesnap fas tener. The stem 18 of thebutton is then inserted in the centralaperture 25 and the flanged head 19 of the button comes into contactwith the portion ofthe cover immediately surrounding the centralaperture and compresses the wool felt until the spring of the socketmember snaps over the rounded head 23 of the snap fastener whereby thepad is detachably secured-to the key. In this position the flange 19, asshown in Fig. 2,

compresses the pad at its center so as to evenly distribute the feltbetween the center and the periphery of the pad and thus cause thatportion of the pad which lies between its center and its periphery toassume a shape which is substantially semicircular in cross-section.Pads so formed have good seating qualities with relation to the socketsof the instrument.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 wherein Patented Dec. 2'7, 1921.

a modified form of the invention is shown, the numeral 10' designates akey similar to the key 10 above described, with the exception that thestud part 11' of the snap fastener has an enlarged head 23' and a con-.cave stem portion whichis secured to the back of the key by solderingor the like. The

pad in this case is shown as comprisinga body of wool felt 12' and acover "13' of kid skin, the metal backing being omitted and the kidsecured directly over the felt by means of gathering and drawing asabove .described. In this form of my invention a fastening plate 26 isutilized, the central portion 'ofwhich is split at a number of placesindicated at 27 and punched inwardly so as to providea pluralityv ofresilient fin-. gers 28 which are adapted to be forced over the head 23'to yieldingl'y engage under the head for the purpose of retaining thepad on the key. The plate 26 is 'p the purpose of adding rigiditythereto.

In placing the pad on the key, the periphery thereof fits snugly withinthe flange 24' and the retaining plate 26 isthen applied by forcing theyielding fingers 28 over the head of the stud 11' for detachablymaintaining the pad on the key. This retaining plate may be readilyremoved by inserting the edge of a tool or the finger nail under theouter edge thereof and pressing outwardlywith suflicient force torelease the spring fingers from engagement with the stud 11. The springfingers ordinarily maintain the pad on the key and the retaining platecan be removed only by direct pressure applied in a manner similar tothat above described. Having described my invention what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a wind musicalinstrument, the combination of a key, a pad therefor, and a me- 7chanical fastening device for compressing a bination of a key, a padtherefor having an aperture formed therein, and a mechanical fasteningdevice for securing said pad to the key comprising a part attachedto thekey and a member adapted to be inserted in said aperture and detachably.engage said part.

referably formed with an annular corrugation 29 for- 4. In a windmusical instrument, the combination of a key, a pad therefor having anaperture'formed therein, and a mechanical fastening device for securingsaid pad to the key comprising a stud permanently attached to the keyand a socket member adapted to be inserted in said aperture anddetachably engage said stud.

5. In a wind musical instrument, the combination of a key, a padtherefor having an aperture formed therein, a button having a flangedhead and a recessed stem, and a mechanical fastening device for securingsaid pad to the key comprising a part attached to the key and a memberlocated in said recessed stem for detachably engaging said part whensaid stem is inserted in said aperture.

6. In a wind musical instrument, the combination of a key, a pad forsaid key having a .hole formed therethrough, and a fastening devicehaving a part passing through said hole for detachably connecting thepad to said key. 1

7. A pad for the keys of a wind musical instrument comprising a body ofcompressible material,-a yieldable cover for said body, a thin disk ofsubstantially the same diameter as .the body located at the rear face ofthe latter, said body,"cover and disk being formed with aliningapertures to receive means for securing said pad to a key, and means forholding said body, cover and disk in assembled relation.

8'. A pad for the keys of a wind musical instrument comprising a body ofcompressible material, a yieldable cover for said body, 'said body andcover. being formed with alining apertures to receive means for securingsaid pad to a key, and means for holding said pad and cover in assembledrelation.

9. In a wind-musical instrument, the combination of a key, a padtherefor comprising a body, a cover and a back plate formed with aliningapertures, and a fastening device adapted to pass through said aliningapertures for detachably connecting the pad to said key.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit- DGSSGS- I FERDINAND" A. BUESOHER.

Witnesses:

HARRY W. LEWIS,- O. ,E. Barns.

